Page 61 of Rock Hard
“No! Just you. Please.”
Loud knocks sounded on the door, accompanied by Johnny’s concerned voice. “Alice! What’s going on?”
The hasty exodus of the attendants must have tipped him off. “Not now, Johnny!”
Alice finished with Carly’s gown then began to work on her own. She was almost done when Carly let out an agonizing moan, her bones popping and rearranging themselves into her animal form. Alice grabbed the edge of her gown and pulled, wincing at the sound of tearing fabric and jewels falling to the floor.
She shifted into her lioness form and lay down beside her, nuzzling and purring to soothe and comfort the scared, shaking adolescent cub.
Johnny burst through the door. “What the hell ...?”
Alice had forgotten what a skilled lock picker he had been back in the day. Apparently, he hadn’t lost his touch.
He stopped short when he took in the scene before him.
Alice moved protectively in front of Carly and bared her teeth, snarling at him, willing him to get the message.
He did.
“Oh, hell. Right then. I’ll just make sure you ladies have some privacy ...”
When Johnny shut the door behind him, Alice returned her attention to Carly. It took several minutes, but the girl was able to get to her paws and take a few unsteady steps. Going from two legs to four took a bit of adjustment.
She looked at Alice, let out a soulful yowl, and sat back down.
Alice shifted back into her human form to be able to communicate more clearly. “You want to know how to shift back?”
The young cub jerked her head in a nod.
“Close your eyes and pretend you’re looking into a mirror. Imagine your human form as you gently push your lioness back. She’s going to resist you, but be firm. You are the one in control, Carly. Always.”
After several fledgling attempts, Carly was a girl again.
Alice grabbed one of the robes they had been wearing for hair and makeup, putting it around her. Then she got one for herself before gathering Carly into her arms and holding her tightly.
“Well, that sucked,” Carly finally said. “Why did that have to happennow?”
“Probably all the stress and excitement of the wedding. That can trigger it.”
“Thanks for being here, Alice. I don’t know what I would have done ...”
“That’s something you’ll never have to worry about,” Alice assured her. “I will always be here for you. How do you feel now?”
“Okay. A little shaky, but pretty good considering I just turned into a lioness.”
Alice smiled. “That’s natural. It takes a bit of getting used to, but you did beautifully. Much better than I did my first time. I was terrified. I didn’t even know I was a shifter before then.”
“You didn’t?”
Alice shook her head.
“Who helped you through it?”
“Johnny. He already had his first shift, so he knew what was happening before I did. We were about five or six, I think. I was so embarrassed, but he was great. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
“Get the fuck out of my way!” Rex’s booming voice sounded through the doorway.
Johnny answered, but at a much lower tone, his words unintelligible.
